Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

UniversitÈ Laval

Institut National D'optique

Obzerv Technologies Inc.

Engrenage Provincial Inc.

Martin Grenier

Robin Stevenson

Dalong Gao

Clement M Gosselin

Nicolas Lauzier

Nichola Desnoyers

Jacques Godin

Mathieu Jobin

Louis Demers

Mathieu Legros

The building of systems on breadboards such as optomechanical systems using reference stop assemblies is presented. Each reference stop assembly has a threaded base engageable with the breadboard to removably mount the reference stop assembly thereto, a support shaft connected to the threaded base and a reference ball. The reference ball is captively mounted to the support shaft and has a translational play in a plane perpendicular to the support shaft. The reference stop assembly also includes a clamping member mounted to the support shaft over the reference ball. The reference stop assembly is configured such that, when the reference stop assembly is mounted to said breadboard, the support shaft projects normally to the mounting surface of the breadboard and the clamping member cooperates with the breadboard so as to apply a clamping force to clamp the reference ball against a circular seat of a mounting hole on the breadboard.

Building of optomechanical systems using self-aligned reference balls

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for limiting the contact force between a moving device and another object, using a parallel mechanism and torque limiters where the threshold force to activate the force limiting mechanism is not related to the configuration of the moving device or the location of the contact force relative to the activation point of the force limiting mechanism, and where the mechanism may be configured for one, two or three degrees of freedom. A counterbalance mechanism is also provided to counteract gravity load when the force limiting mechanism is configured for three degrees of freedom and responsive to contact forces including a vertical element. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for limiting the contact force between a moving robotic device and a contactable object.

Force limiting device and method

The laser mount arrangement can have a laser bar and a driver positioned adjacent to one another and secured against a connection face of a heat sink base. The heat sink base is connected to and forms a first electrical connection between the laser bar and the driver. A second electrical connection is also provided between the laser bar and the driver opposite the heat sink base, which can be in the form of a flexible metal sheet with a narrow upward fold. This arrangement can provide a low inductance path for the current.

Low inductance laser diode bar mount

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Martin Grenier